 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Leonard Buchanan
Date: 2003-07-13 22:16
Can anyone tell me what these "curve" measurements on a mouthpiece are for? Some makers present these in half milimeters and although I'm pretty sure on what kind of facing I want, I don't know what's the difference when it comes to curve measures.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-07-14 08:12
The curve is between the tip opening and where the face becomes flat. The facing is a tangent to the curve itself and the curve is exponential. Most makers give the tip opening and the facing length. To express the curve you would need some sort of mathematical expression.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-07-14 13:05
To flesh this out a little...
One of the standards for measuring the curve a reed follows on a mouthpiece is to use a small piece of plate glass (marked every millimeter) and a set of 'feeler' gauges - thin strips of stainless steel.
The convention is to align the marked piece of glass to have the lines cross the opening of your mouthpiece at right angles.
Using the thinnest of gauges, a record of where the gauge lies snugly beneath the glass is made.
Using the next thinnest gauge, another note is made (and so on)...
A tapered rod is used to measure the tip opening.
From these measurements (and there are LOTS of more refined methods), a 'map' of the curve where it faces the reed (the "facing") may be derived.
Long facings have a point where the thinnest gauge fits, a long way from the tip, so the reed bends over a longer arc.
Short facings have a point where the thinnest gauge fits, a short way from the tip, so the reed bends over a shorter arc.
The idea is to reproduce a design with some accuracy, and sell LOTS!
There is NO substitute for play testing, and the smaller makers that do the work by hand will often do this before selling a mouthpiece.
There are some VERY good machine made mouthpieces that are entirely measured, cut and tested under computer control.
The Vandoren company makes terrific stuff in this manner.
******
All that being said, a perfectly executed design may not play well for every player. The idea is to find something that allows you to make a good sound, for a few hours (which is longer than you think, until you perform) with a minimum of strain.
It's like finding the 'sweet spot' in a tennis or golf swing... your intentions for the reed are magnified by a mouthpiece that provides the best match to you and your reed.
It's ALL about the reed... everything in your sound depends on the reed.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-07-14 13:45
Mark and in particular S B have given you at least an info-start. I'd suggest joining-contacting the experts in the Yahoo Group, Mouthpiece Work, they seem to concentrate on sax mps, but are knowledgable re: clarinets also. [Its a jungle out there!!] , Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2003-07-14 17:01
****One of the standards for measuring the curve a reed follows on a mouthpiece is to use a small piece of plate glass (marked every millimeter) and a set of 'feeler' gauges - thin strips of stainless steel.****
The glass gauges are graduated in half mm so every 2 marks indicate one mm of length. I've never seen one **marked every millimeter** Facing of 34 translates into a 17mm, Medium length, American style facing.
The standard gauges are:
.034
.024
.010
.0015
Vytas Krass
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-07-14 18:07
IMHO the gauges are at best a very crude depiction of the actual facing curve, for a few reasons: (1) the depth to which they may be inserted is highly dependent on operator technique; (2) there is no feeler gauge thin enough to locate the critical transition/break point (between the flat table and beginning of the curved facing) with sufficient precision --- only the eye can do that, in a good light; (3) there are too few 'data points' to extrapolate the curve with enough precision to ensure reproducibility of function; and (4) it's been well-reported here and elsewhere that there's quite a bit of variation in the actual thicknesses of feeler gauges of the same nominal dimension, from one kit to another. I still believe that the feeler gauge method is nearly worthless, but I acknowledge that mine is a minority opinion in that regard.
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Author: AJN
Date: 2003-07-14 20:06
Two brief, helpful, and immediately accessible discussions can be found at:
http://www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com/articles/facings.htmĖ
http://www.eatonclarinets.freeserve.co.uk//
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